MBSS Site Summary for: LPAX-294-X-2013

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-294-X-2013-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-294-X-2013-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on RED HILL BRANCH in the Little Patuxent River watershed, 8-digit code: 02131105.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/11/2013 and again in the summer on 9/19/2013.

Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) Results:

An Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) is a scientific tool used to identify and classify stream health. An IBI associates anthropogenic influences on a stream or with biological condition in the stream, and is formulated using data developed from biosurveys.
Details on the development and application of MBSS IBIs are in this document.
Fish IBI Fair - 3.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,144 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 74.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 4.7 %
Forested Land Use 17.8 %


Stream showing woody debris, logs, and rocky substrate.
An example of woody debris in a stream.

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 8/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 62 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 22 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 65 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 65%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.8
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1497.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.3347 mg/L

Biological Stream Condition:

Surveys of the organisms living within a stream can give indications of stream health. Species richness, or the number of different species present, as well as indicator species (species whose presence, absence or abundance can serve as a measure of environmental conditions) are informative for stream health. 		Close-up of a mayfly indicator species.

Fish Survey Results:
The following 13 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 46
Tessellated Darter 37
Longnose Dace 27
Swallowtail Shiner 22
Creek Chub 17
Green Sunfish 12
Rosyside Dace 11
Bluegill 5
Eastern Mosquitofish 4
Largemouth Bass 2
Pumpkinseed 1
White Sucker 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 39
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 29
Hydrobaenus Midge 16
Diamesa Bloodworm 5
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 2
Antocha Crane Fly 2
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
ENCHYTRAEIDAE Aquatic Worm 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 2
TANYTARSINI Non-Biting Midges 2
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 2
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Stygobromus Amphipod 1
Kick net sampling for macroinvertebrates.
Sampling with a kick net.

Information disclaimer: The information and data on this page is for guidance and general planning purposes only. It should not be used to make decisions on specific matters.